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Monday, April 16, 2012

Hamish Blake was unaware the winner of the Gold Logie had been leaked and advised he was genuinely surprised when his name was read out.

The winner of the 2012 award for Most Popular Personality on TV was released by a media outlet more than hour before the award was announced.

It was posted, and quickly removed, from a website.

But it was too late for the media business...which is about 'The quick and the dead'. As Rupert Murdoch (Foxtel affiliated) famously said years ago "Big will not beat small anymore. It will be the fast beating the slow". We suspect its also the funny beating the boring for awards such as 'Most Popular TV Personality'.

Indeed, the word had got around James Packer's most famous land based casino, but its unknown if bets were placed on the outcome - quite likely.

Comedy genius Hamish Blake has bested his competition to snatch his first Gold Logie at the gala awards night at Crown in Melbourne on Sunday.

Blake tipped out hot bookies' favourite, The Project host Carrie Bickmore, and last year's winner, Today Show host Karl Stefanovic, to be crowned Australian television's most popular personality.

Blake's win was his second for the night. He took out the Most Popular Light Entertainment Program with his offsider, Andy Lee, for Hamish and Andy's Gap year.

Accepting the Logie, Blake thanked his comedic partner, whom he said he had been friends with since they were teenagers.

He said the pair had started in television and will remain friends after their time in TV ends.

"We are the luckiest guys in the world," he said in his acceptance speech.

"Andy this is half yours."

Blake also paid tribute to the Australian television industry and said he was humbled by the win.

In goof-ball style, true to his act, Blake then assured teen viewers he'd hurry his speech to make way for eagerly awaited boy band One Direction's Logie performance.

"I was really expecting a slip up," Blake told reporters.

"I have been many to many events night and I was expecting a slip up... ultimately all that information was kept from me so it was a genuine surprise.